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Click. I hit the red X and closed my laptop after finishing my ninth video call of the day. For hours, I caught glimpses of myself in the small box at the corner of the screen.
The girl in the box was wearing a comfy looking peach sweater and holding a pencil. There was a plant to her left and a mug rested at the edge of the clean table. She looked like she was sipping something steamy and delicious and was organized and productive in her minimalistic kitchen study. I had no idea who she was.
Unlike my coworkers, I knew the mug was empty and the plant needed water. The pencil in my hand wasn’t there because I was poised to jot down a great idea, but rather as a fidget to soothe my nerves. I was incredibly overwhelmed, frustratingly disorganized and barely keeping it together.
While my colleagues and clients saw a bright-eyed worker, I saw nothing but clutter. The messiness of my workspace mirrored my own jumbled thoughts.
The messiness of my workspace mirrored my own jumbled thoughts.
The next day, I decided to clean. I couldn’t cancel my meetings or quit my responsibilities, so I tackled the one thing I could control: the kitchen table. When I finished clearing away its contents, I heard myself take a long, deep breath as an involuntary smile came to my face.
Decluttering my space, quite literally, helped me to declutter my mind. I immediately felt lighter, as if a refreshing breeze blew through the window; a symbol of winter’s goodbye.
Decluttering my space, quite literally, helped me to declutter my mind.
That’s the point of spring cleaning, right? To rid ourselves of the belongings we no longer need, the objects that are weighing us down. Let’s reflect on the last season and cultivate the environments that bring us peace, in our homes and in our hearts.
With love,
Shelby Thomas, the Darling family
What is one area of your home or life that could use a spring cleaning this year? In what ways, can you declutter thoughts and feelings that are weighing you down?
Image via Ben Cope, Darling Issue No. 15
